story —

STORY

an eye opening
turn of event

A natural disaster has the power to open our eyes in unexpected ways. In 2004, Petra Němcová, a renowned supermodel and entrepreneur, miraculously survived the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami. This life-altering experience, hearing children screaming for help while clinging to a palm tree and the pain of losing loved ones, became a turning point for Petra. She emerged with a mission to help children who had survived natural disasters. In 2005, Petra founded Happy Hearts Fund, dedicated to rebuilding safe and resilient schools in areas affected by such calamities.

In May 2006, a destructive earthquake claimed thousands of lives in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Holding firm to its mission of aiding children in the aftermath of natural disasters, Happy Hearts Fund rebuilt over 30 schools during that time. In 2013, after a significant presence of almost seven years in Indonesia, Happy Hearts Fund launched its first international chapter: Happy Hearts Indonesia (Yayasan Hati Gembira Indonesia). This chapter was established to support the nationwide reconstruction of schools impacted by natural disasters. To create a more significant impact, Happy Hearts Indonesia also supports local communities by rebuilding sustainable schools in underdeveloped areas. These reconstructed schools are equipped with proper furniture and facilities, while we provide and facilitate suitable training programs for teachers and students.

A natural disaster always opens another eye within us. Miraculously surviving the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, Petra Němcová, a renowned supermodel and entrepreneur, has her life altered forever. The emotional pain of losing a loved one and hearing children screaming for help whilst hanging onto a palm tree during the tragedy has become a turning point for Petra. She rose up with a mission to help children who survived natural disasters. In 2005, Petra founded Happy Hearts Fund which aimed to rebuild safe, resilient schools in areas impacted by natural disasters.

In May 2006, a destructive earthquake took the lives of thousands in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Holding onto its mission to aid children surviving natural disasters, Happy Hearts Fund rebuilt more than 30 schools at the time. In 2013, after an almost 7-year significant presence in Indonesia, Happy Hearts Fund launched its first international chapter, Happy Hearts Indonesia (Yayasan Hati Gembira Indonesia), to support the reconstruction of more schools affected by natural disasters around the country. In the spirit of creating agreater impact, Happy Hearts Indonesia is also supporting local communities by rebuilding sustainable schools in underdeveloped areas. Rebuilt schools are equipped with proper furniture and facilities. Additionally, we provide and facilitate suitable training programs for teachers and students.

Globally, Happy Hearts Fund has made a difference in the lives of over 101,200 children and 627,000 community members by rebuilding more than 200 schools. In 2017, Happy Hearts Fund announced its merger with All Hands Volunteers to form All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response, joining forces to serve even more children and communities in disaster-stricken areas. Today, All Hands and Hearts is active in over 18 countries worldwide.

Happy Hearts Indonesia, as an affiliated partner of All Hands and Hearts, continues to grow stronger in Indonesia. We firmly believe in the intersection of quality education and poverty eradication, which has led us to expand our support to East Indonesia. Flores, Sumba, and West Timor islands in East Nusa Tenggara are among the poorest regions in Indonesia. Our survey revealed that many schools in these areas are in dangerous conditions, lacking proper sanitary facilities, toilets, tables, chairs, and educational materials. Therefore, our focus shifted to restoring hope for children in East Nusa Tenggara. On March 13, 2018, we officially launched the #IAMCHANGE campaign to rebuild 200 schools in this region.

To date, we have successfully rebuilt over 290 schools, positively impacting the lives of over 90,000 children in Indonesia. We firmly believe that every child in Indonesia has the right to a quality education. Therefore, we continue to work tirelessly to provide safe and decent learning facilities for children in need.